Who is making art on this remote beach at Cape Tribulation?
These dots of sand are reminiscent of Aboriginal dot art, but these artists are crustaceans.
Sand dabbler crabs (Dotilla sp) feed by filtering microscopic organic matter out of the sand. As they feed they roll a scoop of sand into a ball and deposit it outside of their hole.
The arrangement of sand balls, wet and dry, near and far, creates an image that is unique and plastic. What you see, depends on your point of view.
Visit each week to see a new The Earth Minute.
See the monitor lizard just beyond this beach.
Sometimes a simple walk to the beach can be an adventure.
We encountered this lace monitor (Varanus varius) in the coastal forest at Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia. We were privileged to observe its natural behavior–sensing the presence of prey and other monitors, and also marking its territory. Definitely an Earth Minute.
See more of Queensland Australia:
Watch Green Ants
Sea Birds on Great Barrier Reef
Flying Foxes
Green tree ants (Oecophylla
smaragdina) are found through out the tropical rainforest of northern Queensland, Australia. They are occasionally referred to as weaver ants as they
form large leafy nests fastened together by strands of silk secreted by their own larvae.
These large ants range in size from 4-10 mm in length. These green ants were about 7mm - over a quarter of an inch long.
This HD video and audio were recorded in Cape Tribulation in Tropical North Queensland, Australia on the railing of our bungalow in the rainforest. Listen for the sounds of the rainforest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaver_ant
